FALL RIVER — Six years to the day that police first responded to a homicide on Hamlet Street, a jury acquitted a Brockton man who was charged with murder and home invasion stemming from that homicide.

Jesus N. Gomes, 29, hugged his relatives and friends shortly after the jury returned not guilty verdicts on both counts Friday. Gomes and his companions then quickly left Fall River Superior Court.

“I think the jury was very diligent, evaluated the evidence and came to the correct conclusion based on what the evidence was,” defense attorney James S. Murphy said. “The government couldn’t prove its case."

Gregg Miliote, a spokesman for the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office, declined to comment other than to say that prosecutors respected the jury’s verdict.

Gomes had been held without bail since his Superior Court arraignment in February 2011, when he pleaded not guilty both charges.

Prosecutors accused Gomes of murdering 33-year-old Derrick Hogue on June 27, 2008. Hogue was found shot to death inside his second-floor apartment at 108 Hamlet St.

The day after the shooting, a resident in the area told The Herald News she heard what she thought were multiple gunshots, while a next-door neighbor said he heard what he thought were fireworks just before police arrived at the scene.

In December 2010, after a 2½-year investigation, a Bristol County grand jury indicted Gomes and Nicholas Mendes, 31, of Fall River, who was charged with accessory to murder after the fact and intimidation of a witness.

Mendes is awaiting trial.

Gomes’ trial began two weeks ago in Fall River Superior Court. The jury began deliberating Thursday afternoon and returned its verdict just after 2 p.m. Friday.